I've Loved You All Along
by Yiva
Summary: “Paul, it’s, it’s Logan, call them out, Paul.” “No. “Do it. They’ll never get out anyway. Over and out.” Logan told me.


I do not own anything, all characters owned by Rob Thomas. Unless you don't recognize them, then they belong to me.

"I love you." She whispered as she snuggled closer to me in the bed.

"I love you, too." I whispered back.

"How come you're always so warm?" She asked.

"Because you're always so cold." I joked back.

"I should get up," She decided after a couple minutes, "I need to get breakfast ready."

"You stay here, Veronica, I'll get it." I slipped out of the warm bed before she could protest.

"You're the best, Logan," She sighed.

"I am, aren't I?" I asked flashing a smile. I returned twenty minutes later carrying a tray loaded with food. "Scoot over."

"You're letting the cold air in." She whiningly joked.

"But I brought bacon."

"Well, in that case..." She got out of the bed and grabbed the sweatshirt on the chair next to it. "I don't know why it's always so cold in this house."

"I'm a firemen, I like the air." I told her. She stuck her tongue out at me.

"Yeah, well I'm not. And y'know what? I got some news yesterday y'know how I was feeling sick, well I'm-"

I was about to make a witty remark about that, but then it rang. By it I mean the phone. The emergency phone.

I looked at Veronica apologetically, it was my day off, and answered it.

"Hello? What? But it's- yes, sir, no, sir, right away sir, I'll be there soon." I hung up the phone. "I have to go, 'Ronica, there's a fire out on Bank's Cliff , they're calling in people from my unit to help."

"Be careful." She whispered to me.

"I will, love ya, see you tonight." I said kissing her on the cheek. I hurried out of the room pulling on my fire equipment as I went.

Dick pulled up in front of my house five minutes later and I jumped in his vehicle. I know what you all are thinking, how the hell did Dick and I end up as firemen, maybe professional arsonists, but not he people who stop the fire. Well it all started with a bet, Mac bet both of us that we couldn't stand two days hard work, and Veronica got to pick the field in which we studied, and we both found we were even better at putting out the fires then we were at starting them.

I switched on the t.v. five seconds after Logan shut the door, I needed to find out more about this fire. Every channel I turned it too was about Banks Cliff. Watching the screen, I prayed that everyone would be all right.

"Damn, kids!" Dick strangled out as we pulled into the area.

"Funny, they used to say the same about us." I said cynically.

Climbing out of the pickup I took my first look at the fire, it was big! I mean yeah, if I could word things better I would, but that's all it was, was a big fire ball, gobbling up the earth. As Dick was running towards the chief I grabbed his arm, "Hey, if anything happens out there, watch out for Veronica."

"Yeah, okay, don't worry, buddy." Dick said patting me on the shoulder. I allowed a small smile, and we both took off towards the flames.

"You, and you." The guy pointed at Dick and I and then pointed towards the front line. We galloped toward it.

Fighting fire, was kind of like fighting with Veronica, one minute you think you're winning the next, it seems as though all your work is lost. I sprayed directly at the giant oak in front of me, okay maybe not directly, but I could see anymore, the smoke was passed the protective gear and was filling up my mind. The commander walkie-talkied us and said that there was people still in the wood, we would have to go on a search and rescue.

Five of us made our way through the fire carefully, still spraying as we went. Dick, our leading man, got separated form us by a burning tree, soon we realized that our way out was quickly filling up with trees falling, and bushes lighting up, I talkied to Dick, he didn't answer. I had to go get him, his wife was gonna have a baby, I need to find a way to him.

"Echolls come on, Chief says it's time to get out, he says it's too dangerous." One guy from the group said.

"I can't just leave him there, he's my friend." I called back. "And anyway, that isn't code. Isn't it our duty to bring everyone out?"

"Echolls, you'll never get through that."

"I've got to, he's my best friend." With that I turned back to the flames that had taken Dick.

Haphazardly, I made my way through the forest. All the while, I tried contacting Dick.

"Hey buddy! You gotta answer me!"

"Hey, man, ow, take care of Jules, please." It was barely above a whisper.

"No, buddy, we're gonna get you out of this, just hang on. I'll be there soon."

"No, man, get out of here." And with that he signed off.

I called Wallace, he already new. He asked if I wanted him to come over, I said no, I'd be all right. I just hoped Logan would be too, and Dick, oh my god Dick, what if something happened to him? Julie was pregnant. I never felt so powerless. All I kept thinking was "Damn lightening".

I finally could see him, slumped over , his leg caught under something. "Hey, man." I said.

"I told you to get out." He mumbled, pain over taking his voice.

"I stopped listening to you when I got back together with 'Ronica." I told him. "Can you stand?"

"I don't know, I never thought I'd get out." Dick smiled.

After many tries, we got the rock off his leg . "I don't think I can." He said trying to pull himself up. He looked wobbly, like he'd fade out any second.

"Well we're going to get you out of here," I told him, I noticed then that he seemed to be fighting consciousness, "Don't go now."

"I know." He said. I grabbed his arm, and with my added help, he stood, leaning against me. I tried radioing back to base, but I was getting no answer. Dick and I looked for a way out.

"Where's Echolls, and Casacblancas?" Sergeant O'Reilly asked the three men trotting towards him.

"We tried radioing back, but I don't know, no one's answering, Logan went after Dick." One man volunteered.

"I ordered an all out, what happened?"

"Casablancas was separated from the group and Echolls went after him."

"We need to get them out of there." O'Reilly told his men.

After two minutes of talk the group of rescuers went back towards the wood to get their brother firemen.

O'Reilly tried radioing Logan.

"Logan, Logan this is Paul. Come in, Logan."

"Logan, this is Paul, come in Logan."

"Paul, this is Logan." I radioed back over the static. I looked at Dick, he had passed out seconds ago, and I couldn't revive him.

"Logan, we've sent in rescuers, where are you, is Dick hurt?" He asked.

"Yeah, he's hurt, I don't know where we are, Dick passed out." I told my commander calmly.

"Okay, we need to get you guys out of there, uh, can you see anything that'll give us any idea where you are?"

"Yeah, flames!" I answered sneeringly.

"Logan-" O'Reilly started.

"No." I cut him off.

I could tell Logan was not going to be any further help, he was just too worried about Dick. I tried to ask him something again, "Logan, look, we have people coming to get you just hang tight, okay?"

"Okay will d--" Then there was static.

"Logan?" All that answered me was the rush of the flames.

"Logan, come in, Logan, come in." I radioed to no avail.

"Red 41, Red 41, come in." I called to the group of rescuers.

"Yes?"

"Do have anything?"

"No, sir, we'll keep looking, though."

"Go-" As I answered I got another person coming in over on the next walkie-talkie.

"Paul, it's, it's Logan, call them out, Paul."

"No, why?"

"They'll never make it through the flames, a tree just fell through."

"Logan, are you okay?"

"I'm all right."

"Then we won't call them out."

"Do it. They'll never get out anyway. Over and out." Logan told me, ending the conversation.

I looked up at all the expectant faces.

"Red 41, Red 41, come in."

"Reading?" Answered Sicily.

Swallowing the lump in my throat I said, "Logan calls an all out."

"What, but Paul-"

"I want an all out!" Logan's voice broke through to Sicily.

"You heard him, men. All out." I told them.

"Okay."

The men came running out of the flames twelve minutes, fifty-eight seconds later.

I was wandering around the house, looking for something to do, when the phone rang. "I jumped on the telephone.

"Hello?"

"Veronica?" Came Paul O'Reilly's voice.

"Yes?" I strangled out.

"Logan's in the woods, he called an all out."

I dropped the phone and sank to the floor, sobbing into my arms. "Not Logan, not my Logan, No, no, no!" I kept sobbing.

"What are we all standing around for? We need still need to get this fire out!" I snapped at them. They all jumped into action. I put my hand to my face and prepared to go towards the front of the line.

I heard voices. "Damnit! I called an all out," I screamed into the air. I sat next to Dick's slumped over body. "I'm sorry I let you down." Pulling my wallet from my back pocket I flipped to Veronica's picture. It wasn't the one I had before, I recognized the picture, but I didn't know when I had put it in there, I flipped it over to the other side, maybe to spark my memory. I read the back: Hey, be careful, I love you. Guess what "Dad" I hope it's a boy, so we can call him Logan.

I dropped my wallet and yelped in surprise. I picked the wallet back up, shoved it in my pocket, and threw Dick over my shoulder. I wasn't gonna let my baby grow up without a father.

"Hey, Paul! You need to see this." Erik yelled over to me.

I ran over to see what Erik was wildly pointing at. I stopped in my tracks as I got the place where Erik had been standing. Out of the orange flames came a figure in yellow. It was Logan, with Dick.

"How'd you ever-" I started as he came towards us, I stopped, though, as he knelt in front of us. He did not look good.

"Dick, need's an ambulance." He choked out through his coughs. His coughs faded to a close as he blacked out.

I called the ambulance, Unit 49 got the fire under control.

I awoke to a flurry of activity. "I need to get to Veronica." I told the attendant.

"The only place you'll be going is to the hospital, Mr. Echolls." The man told me.

"But you don't understand, my wife thinks I'm dead, and we're going to have a baby. Paul, tell him, tell him I need to go home."

"I'm sorry, Logan, but this is for the best, I'll call Veronica, don't worry, she'll be fine."

I gave up, knowing it was a losing battle, as they loaded me into the ambulance I asked, "How's Dick?"

"Mr. Casablacas will be fine, thanks to you." The EMT said to me.

"That's good," I murmured as sleep overtook me.

I had managed to call Dad., to let him know, he and Wallace were at our, my house, when the red car pulled up. I remembered when Logan had, had to ride in that car when his friend Simon had died. Now, it was someone else's turn.

Bracing myself I walked to the door and opened it, Dad and Wallace shadowing me. Paul O'Reilly climbed out of the car, "Veronica, you need to come with me, right away. Logan's asking for you."

I looked at him as he helped me into the car. "Was Logan still alive? No, that's impossible, he called an all out, that means- I don't know. Oh my God! What is happening?" These thoughts kept playing over in my head, I only slightly comprehended what Paul was saying. I bolted out of the car as soon as it stopped.

"Logan Echolls, please." I asked the receptionist.

"Room 209, you can go in."

I thanked her and barreled my way towards room 209. Stopping outside the door, I took a deep breath and prepared myself for whatever sight lay before me.

I saw her stop, and prepare herself before coming in, I tried my best to look at ease and even tried to make a witty remark, but all that came out was, "Veronica."

"Logan." and then she was all over me hugging me, clicking her tongue, and giving me a kiss on the cheek. "You're all right, you're really all right." She kept repeating, as if she didn't believe it. She kept brushing my hair back, as if though she thought I'd disappear if my hair was in my eyes.

"Veronica, I'm fine, really. What about you, are you okay?" I asked, stroking her cheek, her tears washing away the dirt from my hands.

"Of course I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" She asked, smiling through her tears.

Knowing she wasn't going to answer I said, "I love you. I've loved you all along."

"So have I." she whispered.

I was released from the hospital three days later, after I convinced the doctors I was okay. It was nice, being home. Veronica and I talked it over, and soon I was setting up the baby room. Early, you're thinking. Well, not so much, there was a lot to do in the next seven months. Veronica told me she had to baby proof the house, and I told her she had to cut back on the cases, we fought, I won, by sheer charm of course. Dick and Julie welcomed to the world a little boy who they named Logan. I can honestly tell you I was very flattered. They even named Veronica and I godparents, we accepted the honor, and I enjoyed many a time with my namesake, before I could return to work. Dick and I were around the house a lot, and I think we drove the women crazy. Being two invalid firemen, we made it our duty to keep everything in tiptop shape. But, we'll leave that story for another time.

Okay, how's that? I know it seemed kind of repetitive to me. I hope you all liked it. I got the idea from the song, "Far Away" by Nickelback. I tried to change it and keep it the same, and I'm afraid I just really ended up cutting things apart. but anyway, I hope this was okay, um please tell me what you think, criticism welcome! bye love ya

Yiva


End file.
